Hongyue Ma’s research while affiliated with Inner Mongolia University and other places

Simple Summary Diapause is a state in which insects respond to environmental changes, leading to developmental stagnation, which is crucial in the life history of insects. miRNA regulates the expression of genes after transcription and participates in the regulation of important biological processes of insect growth and development. In this study, we screened differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in non-diapause/diapause and diapause/non-diapause comparison groups of Ostrinia furnacalis and predicted their target genes. The expression patterns of key target genes Kr-h, JHE, JHEH, FOXO, Cry, and Per in diapause-related metabolic pathways at different stages of diapause were opposite to those of miRNAs, suggesting their regulatory roles in the diapause process. This study improves the scientific understanding of diapause in O. furnacalis; the learning can be applied to other insects. Abstract microRNAs (miRNAs) function as vital regulators of diapause in insects through their ability to post-transcriptionally suppress target gene expression. In this study, the miRNA of Ostrinia furnacalis, an economically important global crop pest species, was characterized. For the included analyses, 9 small RNA libraries were constructed using O. furnacalis larvae in different diapause states (non-diapause, ND; diapause, D; diapause-termination, DT). The results identified 583 total miRNAs, of which 256 had previously been identified, whereas 327 were novel. Furthermore, comparison analysis revealed that 119 and 27 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the D vs. ND and DT vs. D, respectively. Moreover, the expression patterns of their miRNAs were also analyzed. GO and KEGG analysis of the target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs highlighted the importance of these miRNAs as diapause regulators in O. furnacalis, especially through metabolic processes, endocrine processes, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and circadian clock signaling pathways. In summary, this study highlighted the involvement of specific miRNAs in the control of diapause in O. furnacalis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify miRNA expression patterns in O. furnacalis, thereby providing reference and novel evidence enhancing our current understanding of how small RNAs influence insect diapause.

In order to determine the specific genes and proteins that are affected by matrine and play a role in regulating metabolism in the locust species Oedaleus asiaticus, we conducted RNA-seq, proteomic sequencing, and bioinformatics analyses on third-instar nymphs. These nymphs were divided into two groups: one group was grown under normal conditions, while the other group was treated with matrine. The purpose of this investigation was to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying matrine resistance. Genes and proteins that exhibited differential expression were identified and subjected to analysis using bioinformatics software. The DESeq analysis revealed a total of 743 transcripts that were differentially expressed (DETs). Among these, 208 transcripts were up-regulated, and 535 were downregulated in ZO/ZCK. The iTRAQ discovered that 34 and 65 proteins were, respectively, up- and down-regulated in ZO/ZCK. Additionally, enrichment studies based on Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were performed. The KEGG and GO analysis of the DEGs suggested the essential roles of matrine treatment in the regulation of O. asiaticus, especially via the biosynthesis of amino acids, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, iInsulin signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. The findings demonstrated that matrine exerted control of the growth of O. asiaticus via modulating the synthesis of metabolism and biosynthesis. Increased expression of detoxifying enzymes was observed, which may be related to matrine detoxification. These findings provide a basis for better comprehension of the molecular mechanism behind the regulation of development mediated by matrine in Asian locust hoppers.

Simple Summary Oedaleus asiaticus (Bey-Bienko) is one of the most dominant locust species in grassland and pastoral areas in Inner Mongolia of northern China. It is highly abundant and usually makes up more than half (sometimes even up to 90%) of the local locust community in locust outbreaks. Locust aggregation is a prerequisite for a locust outbreak, requiring phase change from solitary to gregarious individuals. In this study, we used Illumina sequencing technology to screen 3911, 7478, 3142, and 1852 differentially expression genes (DEGs) in Oedaleus asiaticus during phase transition after 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of high-density treatment, respectively, and recorded the transition from green to brown individuals in different stages. The change in expression patterns of JHAMT, JHEH, DIB, HPD, TAT, PAH, DDC, CSP, and TO, which are the key genes of phase transition relevant metabolic pathways, at different stages of the phenotypic transformation suggests their regulatory role in the phenotypic process. This study improves the scientific understanding of phase variation in locusts; the learning can be applied to other insects. Abstract The high-density-dependent phase change from solitary to gregarious individuals in locusts is a typical example of phenotypic plasticity. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is not clear. In this study, first, Oedaleus asiaticus were treated with high-density population stress and then analyzed by Illumina sequencing on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the body color change to identify the stage-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the identified DEGs revealed their role in metabolic pathways. Furthermore, the expression patterns of the nine key DEGs were studied in detail; this showed that the material change in locusts began on the third day of the high-density treatment, with the number of DEGs being the largest, indicating the importance of this period in the phase transition. In addition, the phenotypic change involved several key genes of important regulatory pathways, possibly working in a complex network. Phenotypic plasticity in locusts is multifactorial, involving multilevel material network interactions. This study improves the mechanistic understanding of phenotypic variation in insects at the genetic level.